Rangers marking 45th season in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas — As hard as it might be to believe, but the Texas Rangers are marking their 45th season in the Lone Star State.

The Rangers are the former Washington Senators, who were an expansion team awarded to D.C. after its original club by the same name became the Twins after moving to Minnesota in 1961.

Just as amazing: Globe Life Park here is 23 years old — and is on its way out.

Voters in Arlington approved extending the sales and hotel taxes in November 2016 to fund a new ballpark, set to be built in the area adjacent to the current ballpark and open in 2020.

Globe Life Park — built on one of the former Arlington Stadium (nee Turnpike Stadium) parking lots — was one of the first “retro” style facilities, incorporating a mix of features from other MLB parks: old Tiger Stadium, pre 1973 Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Ebbets Field and Comiskey Park.

Designers did include features unique to the park: it has a number of Texas-style stone carvings.

There also is a four-story office building behind center field that has a façade similar to that on the stadium roof.

The park is part of a vast entertainment district in Arlington. AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, is less than a mile away and the iconic Six Flags over Texas is within walking distance. There are also numerous choices for dining.